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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29472498">A Life Together, With One Small Change</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/indigorose50/pseuds/indigorose50'>indigorose50</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Established Relationship, Fluff, Friendship, Idiots in Love, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Multi, Post-Blue Lions Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), So Many Background Relationships I Cannot Stress This Enough</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 21:41:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,523</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29472498</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/indigorose50/pseuds/indigorose50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>[“You just asked me to marry you!”</p><p>“I was asking if you would be /willing/ to marry me!” Felix clarified. “Now that I know you would, I can plan how to propose!”</p><p>“I— That—” Ferdinand dropped his head into his hands. “Give me a moment.”]</p><p>(Valentine's Day fic for a friend!)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ferdinand von Aegir/Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Minor or Background Relationship(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Life Together, With One Small Change</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/kinda_moeblob/gifts">kinda_moeblob</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Who would I be if I didn't take the time to write about my favorite rare pair for Valentine's day? This one goes out, as always to Moeblob! This time, I didn't use one of our ideas! I did this all by myself! Are you proud of me?! :D</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The carriage rocked as they transitioned from the well-kept town road to the trail leading through the Oghma mountains. Ferdinand was practically sticking his head out the window, thrilled to be so close to the end of their journey.</p><p>“I cannot <em> wait </em> to see everyone again!” He exclaimed for the dozenth time that morning. “Do you really think Ingrid and Claude will show? It is a far journey for them, and being king keeps one busy. But then, Marianne and Dimitri are able to come. If Dimitri can take time away, I am sure Claude can as well.”</p><p>“Mhm,” was Felix’s passionate reply. He was sharpening a dagger in his lap. It was the same dagger from breakfast and the same dagger from last night. Ferdinand worried he would wear the blade down to nothing. “We’d be there already if we had just ridden,” Felix added before Ferdinand could point this out. </p><p>Ferdinand huffed. “As I keep saying, the carriage was necessary to make sure we could transport everyone’s gifts.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah.”</p><p>Rolling his eyes, Ferdinand cautiously moved from his seat to the spot beside Felix. He leaned against his boyfriend and smiled to himself when he felt Felix finally still. “What are you so agitated, dearest?”</p><p>Because Felix had been like this for almost half the journey. Ferdinand knew Felix missed their old war friends— they had both been looking forward to this five year reunion, even if Ferdinand was the only one who had been overzealous with gift buying. But the closer they got to Garreg Mach, the grumpier Felix seemed to become. Ferdinand wound his arm around Felix’s and lay his cheek on his shoulder. </p><p>Felix let out a sigh. “Ferdinand?”</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“Would you marry me?”</p><p>All thoughts of the reunion fled Ferdinand’s mind. In fact, nothing was going through Ferdinand’s mind but a soft buzzing. </p><p>He leaned away from Felix. “Y-Yes?”</p><p>“Good.” Felix put his whetstone in his pocket and seemed to relax for the first time all day. “That’s good to know.”</p><p>Ferdinand waited. For a ring, a kiss, a smile— <em> something</em>. When Felix just sat there, staring out the window, Ferdinand shook his arm. “Is that it?! Is <em> that </em> your way of proposing?!”</p><p>“What?! No!” </p><p>“You just asked me to marry you!”</p><p>“I was asking if you would be <em> willing </em> to marry me!” Felix clarified. “Now that I know you would, I can plan how to propose!”</p><p>“I— That—” Ferdinand dropped his head into his hands. “Give me a moment.”</p><p>The carriage was silent as Ferdinand tried to gather his thoughts. Then Felix gently tugged one of Ferdinand’s hands from his face and squeezed it, scooting forward so they were pressed together again. “I just wanted to make sure you were ready to get married,” Felix said softly. “I’m going to propose to you properly but… I don’t know. I just wanted to make sure I knew the answer first.” He sighed again and pressed a kiss to Ferdinand’s knuckles. “Go on, tell me that’s dumb.”</p><p>Ferdinand lowered his other hand so he could see Felix better. They had been living together ever since the war ended, and attached at the hip well before that. Even with all that evidence, Felix <em> still </em> felt the need to ask to be sure if Ferdinand was interested in marriage— which meant he was really nervous about the answer.</p><p>Which was <em> adorable</em>.</p><p>Taking pity on him, Ferdinand pulled Felix forward by their hands and kissed him. “Take your time, love,” he said with their foreheads pressed together. “I am ready when you are.”</p><p>Felix nodded against him. “You’re not annoyed?”</p><p>“How could I be? You gathered the courage to ask before I could.” He squeezed Felix’s hand firmly. “Whenever you are ready to ask properly, know that I am all too happy to marry you.”</p><p>“Okay.” Felix gulped. “Okay. Thanks.”</p><p>Chuckling, Ferdinand leaned back against the carriage window and pulled Felix along to rest against his chest. “Your face is so <em> red </em>!”</p><p>“Shut up!” Felix hid his face in Ferdinand’s vest. “What were you saying about Dimitri?”</p><p>Amused, Ferdinand went back to musing out loud about their friends. As he spoke, he realized just how many of their friends were already married. Dimitri and Marianne, Bernadetta and Sylvain, Linhardt and Caspar and Ashe (in a very interesting ceremony), Claude and Ingrid— were he and Felix one of the last unmarried couples?</p><p>They had been together the longest of all their friends. They had been together so long, in fact, that Ferdinand couldn’t imagine anything changing if they <em> were </em> married. Another piece of jewelry. A day in their honor. Perhaps a name change. </p><p>Such small changes and yet— Ferdinand felt himself smile against Felix’s hair at the thought.</p><hr/><p>“That’s it?!”</p><p>Ferdinand gave a start. “Um, yes? We did not speak of it the rest of the way here.”</p><p>Across the table, Bernadetta was staring at Ferdinand as if he had just suggested she perform a song and dance. The two sat in the tea garden of Garreg Mach. The whole monastery had been renovated after the war, but the tea garden remained much the same; some new flowers, freshly painted tables. It was a pleasant place to catch up in private. </p><p>Bernadetta was dressed in fine Faerghus attire. Though the weather was mild, her sleeves were hemmed with furs and her plum colored hood was pulled over her head. Ferdinand knew she was nervous about seeing so many people at once, even though most would be old friends, and had been thrilled when she accepted his tea invitation. </p><p>“So you said yes to marrying him, but you two aren’t actually engaged yet?” She asked, eyes wide.</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“But—”</p><p>“Believe me, Bernadetta, I am just as lost.” Ferdinand sipped his tea. “I understand Felix wanted to make sure we were on the same page of our relationship but the anticipation is going to kill me.”</p><p>“It’s going to kill <em> me</em>!” Bernadetta put her hands to her cheeks. “That’s really, <em> really </em> cute, though. Do you mind if I use that in my next book?”</p><p>Ferdinand laughed. “You have my permission! Though Felix might not want any credit attributed to him. You will need to change a few details.”</p><p>“Always!” Pulling a small pad of parchment from her bag, Bernadetta began to make notes. Ferdinand left her to it for a moment, drinking his tea and taking in the Monastery. He owned a copy of all Bernadetta’s previous books. Their friends cropped up a few times in her stories; he was glad to have supplied an idea.</p><p>“I do wonder what Felix is waiting for,” he said after a few minutes. “He knows I am open to the idea, and clearly he is as well, so why not just propose on the way here?”</p><p>“Maybe he wants it to be dramatic?”</p><p>“Felix is a more private person than myself. I do not think he would want to make a show of it.”</p><p>“But <em> you </em> would. If you were proposing, you would make sure it was as loud as possible.”</p><p>Ferdinand shook his head. “I love Felix too much to do that to him. You remember when I tried to celebrate his birthday during the war? When I got the church choir to serenade him and tried to bake a traditional Kingdom cake?”</p><p>Bernadetta winced at the memory. “O-Oh, right. Yeah. I see what you mean.”</p><p>The old embarrassment made Ferdinand shift awkwardly in his seat. “Anyway, I would appreciate it if you did not tell anyone about this. I do not want anyone pressuring Felix.”</p><p>“I won’t tell. But you should know Sylvain keeps asking me if you’ve mentioned marriage at all in your letters.” Bernadetta sent him a small smile. “I-I know nothing has <em> officially </em> happened but, I’m happy for you, Ferdinand.”</p><p>Ferdinand beamed. “Thank you, Bernadetta. And thank you for listening. I have missed this.”</p><p>“Y-Yeah, me too.” Bernadetta pulled her hood down and looked around. “It’s strange— this used to be the only place outside of home that I felt safe. But now the Gautier estate feels safe. And so does your estate with Felix. It’s nice to return to another home away from home.”</p><p>“I am honored you feel comfortable at our place,” Ferdinand said genuinely. “It is always open to you!”</p><p>“Is that you, Ferdinand?”</p><p>They both turned to see King Dimitri come around the corner. If Ferdinand hadn’t seen him a month prior to discuss a bandit issue in Conand territory, he might have been surprised by the blond beard covering his chin.  </p><p>As Dimitri entered the garden, Bernadetta put hand to her chest in relief. “Thank the <em> Goddess </em> you made it here in time! I was so afraid I was going to have to face the welcome feast alone!”</p><p>“It’s good to see you too, Bernadetta.” Dimitri smiled at her as he approached their table. “I hope I am not interrupting? Marianne and I just arrived and wanted to greet as many friends as possible. Dedue said he saw you in here.”</p><p>“Glad you could make it, your Majesty,” Ferdinand said, standing up to bow. “Where is Marianne?”</p><p>Bernadetta rubbed the fabric of Dimitri’s cape as he answered. “Caspar spotted her as soon as we came through the gates. I believe he has taken it upon himself to escort her around.”</p><p>“This is new,” Bernadetta said, eyes on the cape. It was also trimmed with fur and trailed just above the ground. </p><p>Dimitri looked down in amusement. “You are going to ask if you can hide under there during the festivities, aren’t you?”</p><p>Ferdinand laughed as Bernadetta nodded vigorously and Dimitri assured her she had his permission if everything became too much. It amazed Ferdinand how well these two got along. “What about Sylvain?” Ferdinand pointed out. “I am sure he would be willing to leave once you have had your fill.”</p><p>“I-I hate making him leave parties. And I know he’s missed everyone a lot.” Bernadetta pulled the edge of the cape over her like a blanket. “I don’t have to drag him away.”</p><p>“You know he would leave if you asked,” Dimitri said softly. </p><p>Bernadetta nodded but pulled the cape over her face, ending the conversation. </p><p>To change the subject, Ferdinand clapped his hands as if suddenly remembering, “Ah! I have gifts for you both! Follow me!”</p><p>That brightened Bernadetta considerably. Dimitri chuckled as she practically bounced from the table at the idea of a present. </p><hr/><p>Throughout the day, other members of the old army flooded Garreg Mach. Ingrid and Claude arrived in a cloud of wyvern and pegasus wings. Balthus tackled Ashe before anyone else could say hello. Alois’ wife and daughter arrived, which had Alois, his beard now salt and pepper, smiling ear to ear. </p><p>Petra flew in with Dorothea in tow, both singing along with Annette, who they had picked up on the way. Hilda led a charge of other former Deer. Everyone cheered when Mercedes passed through the gates with a small child on her hip. Professor Byleth, now the Archbishop though she still allowed them to call her Professor, withstood all the enthusiastic greetings from her former students with a patient smile, Seteth ever by her side. </p><p>By the time of the welcome feast, Garreg Mach was swollen with guests. It was a merry feast indeed— filled with good food, good people, and many stories. Ferdinand enjoyed passing out his gifts. A few others had gifts as well, which made Ferdinand feel justified in going ever so slightly overboard.   </p><p>The room burst into laughter when Bernadetta, who had been hiding in Dimitri’s cloak for the last hour, was suddenly scooped up by her husband as if she weighed nothing. Sylvain loudly thanked the king for “protecting” Bernadetta before marching out of the dining hall with his wife in his arms. Felix remarked with a smirk that she looked half asleep already.</p><p>It was a long night that called for much socializing. Ferdinand wasn’t at all surprised when Felix began to scowl some time after Sylvain and Bernadetta left. Kissing his cheek, Ferdinand whispered, “Are you ready to retire?”</p><p>Felix sagged against him. “I was afraid you’d never ask.”</p><p>“Would you like me to carry you to bed as well?”</p><p>“Don’t you <em> dare </em> touch me.”</p><p>They said their good nights and ventured to their room, which was actually Ferdinand’s old room. The Officer’s Academy was between semesters which meant everyone could experience the nostalgia of sleeping in their old dorms. </p><p>The bed seemed so much smaller to Ferdinand, having spent the past five years in a sprawling king bed with Felix. As Felix readied for the night, Ferdinand stretched out under the covers and huffed. “How did we suffer this so long?”</p><p>“War makes you tired,” Felix pointed out, pulling on a thin sleep shirt.</p><p>Ferdinand hummed as he wrestled with the pillows. He turned his eyes to Felix in time to watch him undo his hair. It was so long now— Ferdinand watched the fine dark hair meet the small of Felix’s back. Gone were the sloppy cuts and jagged edges from Felix slicing it off with his sword when it got too long to fight with. Now it was even and, though Felix hated when Ferdinand said it, beautiful.</p><p>“I told Bernadetta,” Ferdinand said abruptly. There was no need to clarify what he meant. </p><p>Felix turned to look at him. “I told Dorothea.”</p><p>Ferdinand flopped back on the bed and laughed. “We do <em> not </em> trust the Lions, do we?”</p><p>“Apparently not. Though I think Sylvain wouldn’t have hit me as hard as she did.” Felix climbed into bed, tucking his head under Ferdinand’s chin. “She says I’ve kept you waiting long enough.”</p><p>“We have kept each other waiting, it seems,” Ferdinand said as he wrapped his arms around Felix. No matter the conditions, Ferdinand knew he could fall asleep anywhere as long as he had Felix to hold.</p><p>Felix was quiet for a time. Ferdinand could guess his thoughts. “Do not rush yourself,” he said, tracing mindless shapes on Felix’s back. “I do not want you to propose just because Dorothea made you.”</p><p>Felix snorted. “As if she could make me do anything.” Ferdinand opened his mouth to list an example of just that but Felix leaned up on his elbows to glare down at him. “Not another word.”</p><p>Ferdinand grinned. “Or else what?” </p><p>Still glaring, Felix kissed him. Ferdinand giggled into the kiss and outright laughed when Felix pulled away to kiss down his neck. He ended by nuzzling into Ferdinand’s shoulder. “No more talking. Go to sleep.”</p><p>Chuckling, Ferdinand leaned over to snuff out the candle. “Good night, love.”</p><hr/><p>Ferdinand did not get a chance to speak with the Professor until the next afternoon. She matched his stride as he roamed the hallways. “Seteth and I got engaged right after the war,” she said without preamble.</p><p>“O-Oh?” Ferdinand replied with polite confusion. “Um, I did not know that.”</p><p>“No one but Flayn knew at first. There was a lot to do after the war so we didn’t announce it right away.” Byleth did not look at Ferdinand as they walked. She just followed as he made his way towards the classrooms, her face blank as always. “We fell into a routine and I actually forgot for a while that we had even gotten engaged. It just felt like we had always been together. I didn’t see any reason to make a big deal out of it.”</p><p>They passed Ignatz in the Golden Deer classroom, sketchbook in hand. Ferdinand stopped outside the Blue Lion’s room to look at Byleth properly. “Professor, did someone say something to you?”</p><p>Her eyes flashed. “Dorothea.”</p><p>“Professor—”</p><p>“All I’m saying,” she interrupted, clapping him on the shoulder, “is you don’t have to get married to show you love someone.”</p><p>Ferdinand wondered what Dorothea had said exactly. He lifted his chin and spoke with as much authority as he could summon in the face of his former teacher and general. “I have made it clear to Felix that I would love him whether he proposed or not. No offense, Professor, but we are alright.”</p><p>Byleth smiled up at him with something like pride. “Glad to hear it.” </p><p>“<em>There </em> you are.”</p><p>Ferdinand turned at Felix’s voice. He passed the Black Eagle’s classroom and marched towards Ferdinand and Byleth, eyes narrowed. “There <em> I </em> am?” Ferdinand repeated. “I have not seen you since breakfast! Where have <em> you </em> been?”</p><p>“The training grounds.” Felix crossed his arms, disgruntled. “People keep using it as a make out spot. Now that it’s empty— spar with me.”</p><p>Byleth snorted. “Felix, do me a favor and never change.”</p><p>Felix nodded as if taking this request seriously. He probably was. Ferdinand took his hand. “I accept your challenge. Would you like to join us, Professor?”</p><p>“Actually, I think I’m going to go find Seteth.” A mischievous smirk briefly flit across her face. “Who knows. Maybe he will want to… spar with me later.” While Felix made a gagging sound, she looked to Ferdinand. “Do what feels right.”</p><p>Ferdinand pretended Felix wasn’t staring between them in confusion. “I will.”</p><p>Byleth nodded once, then turned on her heel and walked off. Ignatz called out to her as she passed and joined her, holding up his sketchbook for approval. </p><p>Felix began pulling Ferdinand towards the training grounds. “What the hell was that?”</p><p>“Just the end of a conversation. What do you wish to fight with today?”</p><p>The question apparently warranted deep thought on Felix’s part, and he fell silent as he walked. Ferdinand took the time to just… observe his boyfriend. </p><p>Ferdinand loved his life right now. He loved living in the north and traveling south with Felix every winter to spend the season in warmer weather. He loved sparring Felix any time they liked and taking tea right after to discuss new techniques. He loved knowing that on the other side of the paperwork required to run Aegir territory from afar was Felix to simply lounge beside in silence. Ferdinand’s ideal evening was nestled in the library with Felix, reading a book about foreign weapons and saying bits out loud, and knowing Felix was listening intently— never once annoyed with Ferdinand’s excitement.</p><p>If nothing ever changed between them, Ferdinand would still die a happy man. Felix let so few people in— it was an honor Ferdinand did not take lightly that his was the last face Felix saw every night before sleep. That he was the person Felix kissed every morning. That when a new style of sword appeared in the market, he was the first person Felix pulled towards the stand with wide eyes.</p><p>Yes, Ferdinand loved how things were in this moment. Hand in hand with Felix on the way to train. But there was a part of him, a part that had reared forth in recent years, that longed to say the words “My <em> husband</em>, Felix”.</p><p>“Sword.”</p><p>“Hm?”</p><p>Felix pushed open the door to the training grounds. “I will fight with the sword.”</p><p>Ferdinand nodded. His recent musings had left him with a swell of affection in his chest. “Then I shall do the same.”</p><p>The grounds were empty, as Felix had described. There were a few different weapons on display, better made targets, and an open wardrobe filled with first aid supplies. Otherwise it was the same as ever. Ferdinand let go of Felix’s hand to do a slow turn. “This place was overrun with couples?”</p><p>“Yeah. Every time I came by, someone was with someone.” Felix looked over the weapons rack before selecting a sword. “At least Shamir and Catherine eventually started sparring.” Ferdinand wondered just how many couples and trios Felix had walked in on. </p><p>Brushing off the question, Ferdinand took up a sword as well and shed his Faerghus coat. They wordlessly met in the middle and crossed swords. This dance was so second nature now they hardly needed someone to referee. They simply crossed blades, knocked them together once, nodded, and began. </p><p>It took barely a minute for Ferdinand to knock Felix down. </p><p>“Do I have your full attention?” Ferdinand teased as he stepped back to let Felix get up. “You seem distracted, my dear.”</p><p>“Shut up. Let’s go again.”</p><p>They did, and Felix seemed to be more focused now. Ferdinand would have pondered what had caused his sloppiness earlier but fighting with Felix always took all his concentration. </p><p>One wrong block sent Ferdinand’s sword spinning through the air. “Do I have your full attention?” Felix mocked, his smirk jeering as he readied his sword again. </p><p>Ferdinand retrieved his own sword. “Always, love.”</p><p>Felix rolled his eyes and rushed at him.</p><p>Lunch came and went. Ferdinand barely took note of the time— all he was aware of was sweat on his brow, the ache in his arm, the fire of competition egging him on. Sparring with Felix had always felt like this. Ever since school, back before Ferdinand had even joined the Lions, he had accepted every demand to fight Felix flung at him. They would spend hours in the training grounds, stopping only when someone, usually the Professor, snapped them back to reality. </p><p>Felix made Ferdinand want to learn the ins and outs of every kind of weapon he could get his hands on. Soon, with Felix’s help, he mastered the lance, sword, axe— they had even dabbled in magic together before the war broke out. “I accept your challenge, Felix” became as natural to say as “I am Ferdinand von Aegir”. </p><p>And now, it was as natural as “I love you, Felix”.</p><p>With a great shove, Ferdinand toppled Felix to the ground and kicked away his sword. Both were panting as Ferdinand pressed the tip of his sword to Felix’s neck. Grinning savagely, Ferdinand announced, “My win.”</p><p>Felix’s chest was heaving. He sat up, eyes on Ferdinand. “You stole that move from me.”</p><p>“I lovingly copied it.” Ferdinand lowered his sword, trying to catch his breath. “What say we stop there?” He held out his left hand for Felix to take.</p><p>To his surprise, Felix shook his head. “No,” he said between still ragged breaths. “I don’t want to stop.”</p><p>“Felix, we have to eat—”</p><p>“I don’t <em> ever </em> want to stop sparring with you, Ferdinand von Aegir.” Felix took Ferdinand’s hand, but did not rise. Instead, he rearranged himself so he was kneeling.</p><p>From his pocket, he pulled out a ring.</p><p>Ferdinand’s eyes darted from the ring to Felix’s face. All breath seemed to have fled from his lungs but it did not matter because Felix’s cheeks were red from exertion <em> and </em> embarrassment and it was the single most Felix thing Ferdinand had ever seen.</p><p>He swallowed, waiting for Felix to continue. </p><p>“Look, I—” Felix bit his lip and tried again. “If we do this now, we can tell all our friends in one shot. We don’t have to write a hundred letters telling everyone or have someone make a big deal out of it every time we visit them for the next few months.”</p><p>Okay, <em> that </em> was the most Felix thing Ferdinand had ever seen. </p><p>“I love you, Ferdinand.” Felix’s voice grew soft. His grip on Ferdinand loosened ever so slightly. “I… I have nothing else. I love you and never want things to change between us. All I want is to look at you and know that you’ll be at my side forever, and a ring is as good a reminder as any.” He held up the ring, as if Ferdinand had stopped thinking about it for even a moment. It was silver, with thin lines of amber racing through it like a lightning bolt. “If you’ll have me, I want to officially spend my life with you. We can have the loudest biggest wedding you can think of, if I just get to sleep next to you for every night after.”</p><p>Here he paused, staring into Ferdinand’s eyes with something like fear. “T-That’s it. That’s all I had prepared. It’s not the most romantic thing, I know that, but—”</p><p>“Felix?”</p><p>His mouth clicked shut.</p><p>Ferdinand tilted his head, considered this Felix on his knees and Bernadetta’s words and Byleth’s story. Minutes ago, Felix had tripped Ferdinand and cursed when Ferdinand got a good hit on his shin. And he was still saying all this.</p><p>Ferdinand smiled, willing away tears. “Ask me properly.”</p><p>Felix sucked in a breath. “Ferdinand, will you marry me?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>The weight of the world seemed to fall off Felix’s shoulders. He grinned across beet red cheeks and slipped the ring over Ferdinand’s finger. It was over top a glove but that didn’t matter just now. All that mattered was Ferdinand finally getting to pull Felix up and kiss him thoroughly. </p><p>Felix seemed glad to have a reason to stop talking, opening his mouth to Ferdinand instantly and wrapping his arms around his neck to press impossibly closer. Ferdinand held him by the waist, dropping his sword to do so and not hearing it hit the ground. </p><p>What he did hear, after a few blissful moments, was someone say, “Whoops. Occupied.”</p><p>Felix groaned and buried his freshly blushing face into Ferdinand’s neck. “This is not a make out spot, it’s a place for <em> fighting</em>.”</p><p>Sylvain snorted. “Well, sorry to interrupt your ‘fight’.”</p><p>Ferdinand grinned at Sylvain over Felix’s shoulder. He and Bernadetta stood just outside the tall doors not far away. Bernadetta was almost as red as Felix when she saw them. “Bernadetta!” Ferdinand called. He held up his left hand.  </p><p>Given the distance, and that fact that it was over his dark gloves, she likely couldn’t see the actual ring. But the gesture was enough for her to put the pieces together. “<em>Congratulations</em>!” She cried, beaming. Sylvain looked back at her in clear confusion.</p><p>Felix groaned again. “Why,” he lamented, “couldn’t we have had even five minutes to ourselves first.”</p><p>Ferdinand kissed the side of his head. “Sorry, love. At least we can get the worst out of the way?”</p><p>“I’m telling Sylvain you called him the worst.”</p><p>“That is not what I meant—”</p><p>“ARE YOU <em> KIDDING </em> ME?!” Sylvain shouted, having apparently gotten the full explanation. Bernadetta squeaked and Sylvain wrapped a reassuring arm around her. He went on at a lower volume but still shrill, “In a <em> training hall</em>?! Fraldarius, I could <em> hit </em> you!”</p><p>Ferdinand laughed and held Felix firmly around the middle to keep him calm. “I love your friends.”</p><p>“Then why don’t you marry <em> them</em>.”</p><p>“Because I love you more. Have I not made that obvious?”</p><p>Felix pulled his head back to smirk up at Ferdinand. “Prove it.”</p><p>“I shall,” Ferdinand said against his lips. “Felix, my fiancé.” To the tune of Sylvain yelling about going off to find Ingrid and Bernadetta running after him and begging him to wait for permission first, Ferdinand kissed Felix once again.</p><p>Sweeping back Felix’s hair with his ring hand, Ferdinand mused that they were about to set upon by everyone they had ever met— and here they were, surrounded by discarded weapons and kissing each other with abandon. </p><p>It was, Ferdinand decided as he smiled into the kiss, <em> very </em> Fraldarius-Aegir.</p>
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